Draft Thoughts (Molodyozhnaya Hokkeinaya Liga Edition):
Right-handed LW Fyodor Avramov has been turning heads this season by leading Kapitan Stupino of the MHL by 15 points, with 23 goals and 44 points in 49 games. Impressive, considering his team is one of the worst, and lowest scoring in the league. Avramov is a big power forward with skill, at 6'3",190lbs.
Avramov is a physical player, who uses his size well in all 3 zones. He hits hard, bullies his way around the ice, powers through checks, and leans into opponents on his way to the net. He can finesse his way around too, with high-end skill that enables him to dangle around, or through opponents, and he protects the puck well too. His forte' is goal scoring, and he owns a wide array of hard, heavy shots to choose from, all with a lightning-quick and deceptive release. He can beat goalies from a distance, or from close-in, and finds soft spots in coverage to operate in, with a wicked wrister and a blistering one-timer at his disposal. He attacks the middle, uses opponents as screens, and can unleash in full flight. There's sometimes flashes of high-end playmaking, and he can set teammates up for high-danger chances around the net, but he has a shoot-first mentality. Though his stride is clunky, he can still generate surprising power, and can fly when he gets to top speed. His knock-kneed stance should hurt his agility, but he still manages to be able to turn quickly, and pivot away from checks. His explosiveness needs work, and his mechanics will need to be addressed in order to get the most out of his stride.
Avramov is a valuable threat in transition with his speed and quick hands, but his defense is inconsistent- sometimes he's aggressive, sometimes he's a pedestrian. When he's on, he's highly adept at pressuring puck-carriers with his quickness and physicality. Too often though, he's caught puck-watching and cheating for offense. Avramov is quite raw, and may need plenty of time to develop his game, but there might be a huge payoff in the end. His numbers on a bad team are hard to ignore, but he needs work on his consistency and his decision-making under pressure for the next level, as well as his strength and skating. Watching him skate, he reminds me a bit stylistically of former New York Rangers draftee, Vitali Kravtsov. Look for him in the 4th, or 5th round.
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